Saturday, September 6, 2008

1935 Dr. Louis W. Max of New York University addresses a meeting of the American Psychological Association and reports that he had successfully treated a case of homosexuality by using electro shock therapy delivered at "intensities considerably higher than those usually employed on human subjects."

1970 The play "The Boys in the Band", with openly gay characters, closes after 1,002 performances. By this time a film version had also been made.

1971 The National Organization of Women's annual convention passes a resolution acknowledging the oppression of lesbians as a concern of feminism.

1990 Twentysix-year-old Charles Dougherty of Colorado Springs, who had not only managed to enroll at Coronado High School as a female transfer student named Cheyen Weatherly but also made the all girl cheerleading squad, is arrested on charges of criminal impersonation. He is sentenced to two years probation during which time he would receive counseling, despite the demands of some parents that he be given the death penalty.

1995 According to a San Francisco Chronicle poll, openly lesbian San Francisco mayoral candidate Roberta Achtenberg had the support of 47 percent of gay and lesbian voters, and challenger Willie Brown, a long time supporter of the GLB community, had 29 percent. The Alice B Toklas Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club had recently endorsed Brown.

1997 Sir Elton JohnElton John plays a rewritten version of Candle In The Wind at the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey. The charity record of the song became the biggest-selling single of all time"